Weekly Fishing Report

Hefner: December 16. Elevation dropping, water 38-40 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass slow. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on jigs and grubs at 12-25 ft. along the dam. Channel and blue catfish fair on cut bait along the dam. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 12-20 ft. along the dam. Walleye slow on grubs at 8-12 ft. along the dam. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.

Overholser: December 17. Elevation normal, water 46 and clear. Crappie fair of soft tail and feather tail jigs. White bass good on soft tail and feather tail jigs. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Jarrod Davis, game warden stationed in Oklahoma and Canadian counties.

Carl Blackwell: December 16. Elevation 2 3/4 ft. below normal, water 34 and stained. Crappie excellent on live minnows, white/pink hair jigs and plastic bodied jigs at 9-16 ft. at the enclosed crappie dock. The best color combinations for crappie change daily, any jig with a bright tail or head, jig weights should be in the 1/8 oz. area with a number 4-6 hook. Largemouth bass slow to fair on tandem bladed spinnerbaits, chatter baits and crankbaits. Striped bass hybrids fair drifting large spoons and large 1-2 oz. hair jigs around structure on bottom near drop-offs and creek channels. Saugeye fair on minnows and worm harnesses on bottom fished very slow. Channel catfish fair to good on punch baits, worms and cut bait in the deepest creek channels. Flathead catfish slow. Trout good to excellent on Power Baits, worms and leeches fished on the bottom; larger trout being caught on 1/64 oz. jigs around structure. Report submitted by Chris Pulchny, H2O Lakeside Store.

Kaw: December 17. Elevation 3/4 ft. above normal. Crappie and spotted bass fair. White bass and striped bass hybrids good around manmade structures. Catfish good on juglines at 6-15 ft. in the north part of the lake. Blue catfish fair on rod-and-reel. All other fishing fair. Report submitted by Emily Long, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant counties.

Lower Illinois: December 15. Water low 50s with occasional water releases. Striped bass good toward the mouth and in deep holes, especially when water is running. Trout good on Power Bait on bottom in deep holes, especially below the dam. Fly fishing good drifting nymphs below strike indicators below riffles and on woolly buggers in deeper holes along the Watts area. Report submitted by Jeremy Bersche, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.

Webbers Falls: December 16. Elevation normal, water 46 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on deep diving bill baits around points, creek channels and rocks. Catfish good on fresh cut bait and stinkbait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in black and purple at 12-16 ft. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

NORTHWEST

Canton: December 14. Elevation 13 ft. below normal, water clear. Channel catfish fair on shad in the river channel near the Canadian campground. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.

Arbuckle: December 14. Elevation 4 3/4 ft. below normal, water 52 and clear. Crappie slow off docks and fair on 1/8 oz. chartreuse jigs at 30-35 ft. around brush piles. White bass fair on spoons and slabs along drop-offs and creek bends near the dam. Bass being caught on crankbaits, Carolina-rigged creature baits and Alabama rigs. Channel catfish and carp being caught on dough bait off docks. Report submitted by Jack Melton.

Blue River: December 16. Elevation normal, water 36 and clear. Trout good on Power Bait, spoons and in-line spinnerbaits below waterfalls and behind breaks in current. Fly fishing good on woolly buggers, Copper Johns, Pheasant tails and zebra midges near riffles and behind breaks in current. Channel catfish good on stinkbait and chicken liver near slow moving current in deeper pools. Smallmouth and spotted bass fair on soft plastic baits fished very slowly around structure. Stocked approximately 2,400 rainbow trout on December 11.Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.

Hugo: December 15. All fishing slow. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.

Konawa: December 16. Elevation normal, water 50 and clear. Largemouth bass very good on plastic worms at 5-8 ft. along weed lines. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows and jigs in the discharge canal. Report submitted by Dale Stites, game warden stationed in Pontotoc County.

Pine Creek: December 15. Elevation above normal, water murky. Bass good on soft plastic baits and crankbaits near inlets. Crappie fair on spoons in deep water. Catfish fair to good on juglines baited with cut bait. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Robert S. Kerr: December 16. Blue catfish excellent on cut bait drifting in the river current on the north side. Blue and channel catfish good on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait near Hickory Nut Ridge. Crappie good on minnows up the Big San Bois Creek near submerged brush or other cover. Spotted bass good on crankbaits in cutoffs and deeper pools up the Canadian River. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Haskell County.

Texoma: December 15. Elevation 7 1/3 ft. below normal, water 52 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on plastic worms at 10-20 ft. in creek channels. Smallmouth bass fair on big jigs at 10-20 ft. around riprap. Striped bass fair to good on live bait and slabs at 10-25 ft. from Burns Run to Caney Creek. White bass fair on sassy shad and shad colored lures at 10-15 ft. around points. Channel catfish fair on live bait and stinkbait at 10-20 ft. from Little Glasses to Johnston Creek. Blue catfish fair to good on live bait and cut shad at 10-25 ft. in the Red River Arm and around cleaning stations. Crappie fair on live bait and tube jigs at 5-15 ft. in creeks with brush. Sunfish fair on small tube jigs and worms at 5-10 ft. around riprap. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.

Tom Steed: December 16. Elevation 10 ft. below normal, water 35 and murky. Blue catfish slow on cut shad on bottom in 4-8 ft. of water on the west side. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.

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by Ed Godfrey

Copy Editor, Outdoors Editor, Rodeo, River Sports Reporter

Ed Godfrey was born in Muskogee and raised in Stigler. He has worked at The Oklahoman for 25 years. During that time, he has worked a myriad of beats for The Oklahoman including both the federal and county courthouse in Oklahoma City for more...